Viola Mae Braun, 70, of Emporia, Kan., died at her home on April 10, 2014.

Viola Mae Thofson, the daughter of George Chris and Mae Alice Thofson, was born on Aug. 5, 1943, in Albert Lea. She attended a country school in Gordonsville and then graduated from Glenville High School in 1961.

Viola married the love of her life, Dale Elmer Braun, on Nov. 25, 1962, at First Lutheran Church in Glenville. God blessed Dale and Viola with the gift of five children: four sons and one daughter. Viola and Dale enjoyed almost 50 years of happy married life together, sharing the joys and sorrows of life.

While residing in Northwood, Viola owned and operated Vi’s Christian Book and Gift Store. She initiated and organized a food bank, Manna of Worth County, in 1980, sponsored by First Lutheran Church and neighboring churches in Northwood. Viola received her RN degree from NIACC in 1985. She earned her bachelors of science degree in nursing at a later date. She relocated with her husband and youngest three children to Corpus Christi, Texas, where she worked as a nurse at Spohn Hospital until 1992. After many years, she and Dale returned to the Mid-west, residing in Emporia. She was a nursing instructor at Flint Hills Technical College until her retirement in 2005.

Viola enjoyed many things in her life. Most of all, she enjoyed spending time with her family, reading the Bible, flower gardening, and baking bread and cookies and lefse for Christmas. Her favorite holiday was Christmas, and she always went all out when it came to planning and preparing for the family celebrations.

Viola was baptized in Jesus Christ and publicly confessed her faith through the rite of confirmation on June 9, 1957. Her faith in Jesus as her lord and savior was a very important part of her life. She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Emporia.

Viola is survived by three sons, Robert and his wife, Cathy, of Ames, Iowa, and their children Jackie, Jordyn and Jared Braun; Luther and his wife, Amy, of Topeka, Kan., and their children Kaitlyn, Anna and Emilie Braun; and Joshua and his wife, Stephanie, of Ankeny, Iowa, and their children Madison and Carson Braun; one daughter, Yvette Kramer, and her husband, Joe, of Pochontas, Iowa, and their children Brianne and her husband, Eric, and Jacob Kramer; two brothers, Steven Thofson and his wife, Dawn, of Northwood and Mitchell Thofson and his wife, Barb, of Kingman, Ariz.; two sisters, Gloria Hall of Glenville and Marlene Overton of Boone, Iowa.

Viola was preceded in death by her parents, George Chris and Mae Alice Thofson; her husband, Dale; one son, Jared Scott Braun, and one brother, George Jr.

God, in his grace, has now granted Viola that eternal home, promised to her already at her baptism. Together with Viola, we now await that glorious resurrection when we will see her again.